13 WTHR - Indianapolis News |New Wishard Hospital, other questions on Nov. 3rd ballot

New Wishard Hospital, other questions on Nov. 3rd ballot

Marion County - Next Tuesday (Nov. 3rd) is Election Day, and several questions are on local ballots.

Early voters are already casting their votes in Marion County. Perry Township has a referendum for new construction that will touch all 17 schools in the district.

In Franklin Township there are two questions, one for the general fund and one for operations. The fourth school referendum is for operations in Beech Grove.

"We are confident our people are going to support us but if for some reason they don't, then on the fourth we start cutting. We will start charging for field trips, athletic trips," said Superintendent Paul Kaiser.

Kaiser says the need for the referendum can be traced back to the property tax caps passed by the Indiana legislature. Every district is different, according to Kaiser, but Beech Grove got hit hard because it does not have the business help take up the slack.

"Without any increase in our current budget we have to cut a million and a half dollars. There are no alternatives," he said.

Early voters will also get a chance to vote on the referendum for a new Wishard Hospital.

Wishard Hospital supporters have been very visible in pushing for the project. Just last week Wishard Hospital called an impromptu news conference to show where a main high pressure steam line had ruptured. That prevented the hospital from being able to sterilize surgical equipment for a few hours.

"Having half a day down is a huge impact on our patients because our hospital is 98% full," said Dr. Lisa Harris, Wishard.

That rupture cost $12,000 to repair, which is part of the $25 million annual cost to repair the facility.

"The most cost effective solution is a new hospital," said Harris.

On Thursday, State Rep. Phil Hinkle and State Sen. Scott Schneider voiced concern over Wishard's future revenue and the possibility that the project might go over budget. They also argued that the referendum provides little protection to property tax payers.

They pointed to projects like the Indianapolis-Marion County Central Library expansion project, which was subject to a two-year delay over legal wrangling and came in $50 million over budget, and Lucas Oil Stadium, which went $95 million over budget and is costing $20 million more annually to operate over projections, according to Hinkle and Schneider.

"While we support Wishard as an institution and appreciate their efforts for our community, the fact still remains they are asking taxpayers to co-sign a $600 million loan. Taxpayers need to be aware of this when they go to the ballot box," Schneider said.

Polls are open from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm Tuesday.